The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, has inaugurated the newly constituted Governing Boards of the Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority (LUSPA) and the Council of the Institute of Local Government Studies (ILGS).
The LUSPA Board is chaired by Dr. William Kofi Ahadzie, a seasoned public servant, while the ILGS Council is chaired by Jonathan Azaaso, an experienced planner and local governance expert.
Speaking at the inauguration on Friday, July 11, 2025, Mr. Ibrahim described the appointment as a call to duty, stressing that the trust reposed in the appointees by President John Mahama to steer the affairs of these two institutions cannot be overemphasised.
The Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the Resetting Ghana Agenda, noting that a key pillar of the initiative is building the capacity of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), Assembly Members, and, by extension, staff of the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to enhance effective and efficient service delivery.
“We need to deepen our appreciation of decentralisation, local governance, and sub-national development, and build the capacity of many people who believe in the principle of subsidiarity – that is, local problems, local solutions,” he said.
In this regard, he announced that efforts are underway to upgrade the Institute of Local Government Studies into a specialised university.
Mr. Ibrahim explained that the proposed university would be dedicated to providing professional and higher education critical for effective local governance, while retaining the Institute’s core mandate of training staff and political functionaries within Regional Coordinating Councils (RCCs) and MMDAs.
He further commended the immediate-past boards and councils of both institutions, including former Chairperson Emeritus Prof. Kwasi Kwafo Adarkwa and his team, for the good work done.
The Minister charged the newly appointed chairpersons and board members to build on the foundation laid by their predecessors and work to advance the development of both institutions.
Source: Adomonline.com
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